Capitol / Financial District / Shockoe Slip

[wrldcoupe4]

That wall actually already collapsed on the sidewalk. It’s been fenced  off.

[Hike]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

That wall actually already collapsed on the sidewalk. It’s been fenced  off.

Self demo.

[ancientcarpenter]

19 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

That wall actually already collapsed on the sidewalk. It’s been fenced  off.

Over the top Historic preservationists: PUT IT BACK ON!! We need to preserve *checks notes* 70s block architecture... 

[I miss RVA]

8 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Over the top Historic preservationists: PUT IT BACK ON!! We need to preserve *checks notes* 70s block architecture... 

Those same O.T.T. preservationists would ALSO insist that the fractured wall BE INCLUDED in the new development to "maintain the 'architectural integrity' of the block."   

Edited January 20, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Hike]

12 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Those same O.T.T. preservationists would ALSO insist that the fractured wall BE INCLUDED in the new development to "maintain the 'architectural integrity' of the block."   

Getting ready to eat dinner so can’t add much context here but this changes a lot of the conversation for this area and project being discussed, eliminating the project and reshuffle of existing buildings only.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/interactive-map-youngkin-making-new-plans-for-old-city-hall-downtown-state-offices/article_754f543c-98dc-11ed-b8ca-3bf6f0705f56.html

[I miss RVA]

14 minutes ago, Hike said:

Getting ready to eat dinner so can’t add much context here but this changes a lot of the conversation for this area and project being discussed, eliminating the project and reshuffle of existing buildings only.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/interactive-map-youngkin-making-new-plans-for-old-city-hall-downtown-state-offices/article_754f543c-98dc-11ed-b8ca-3bf6f0705f56.html

Good grief - so NOW the state wants to chop the new 14-story building at 7th and Main despite demoing the site - thereby leaving YET ANOTHER open space in what should be the most densely developed part of the city. Watch them turn it into a 1.) surface parking lot, 2.) an EV charging surface parking lot, or 3.) some bogus mini-park that the old legacy Financial District simply doesn't need.

And don't even get me started on the potential fate of the Monroe Tower. My blood pressure is high enough as it is - I don't need it going any higher.

Jesus Christ - WTELF is WRONG with these people????  (And yes, I've got steam coming out of my ears right now... )

Edited January 20, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Hike]

9 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Good grief - so NOW the state wants to chop the new 14-story building at 7th and Main despite demoing the site - thereby leaving YET ANOTHER open space in what should be the most densely developed part of the city. Watch them turn it into a 1.) surface parking lot, 2.) an EV charging surface parking lot, or 3.) some bogus mini-park that the old legacy Financial District simply doesn't need.

And don't even get me started on the potential fate of the Monroe Tower. My blood pressure is high enough as it is - I don't need it going any higher.

Jesus Christ - WTELF is WRONG with these people????  (And yes, I've got steam coming out of my ears right now... )

not what I expected, sounds like they’re going to use existing buildings and let some remote work. Another thing I didn’t realize, the general assembly building was reduced by 2 levels. This was during the process of construction, thought it looked truncated or “squatty”. Happy Friday. 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Hike

[Downtowner]

28 minutes ago, Hike said:

Getting ready to eat dinner so can’t add much context here but this changes a lot of the conversation for this area and project being discussed, eliminating the project and reshuffle of existing buildings only.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/interactive-map-youngkin-making-new-plans-for-old-city-hall-downtown-state-offices/article_754f543c-98dc-11ed-b8ca-3bf6f0705f56.html

As bad as I hate saying this it doesn’t shock me. Ruin the skyline by tearing down the James Monroe building leave a giant hole in the ground in the process scrap the new building. I hate saying this but I think Richmond being the capital of va is starting to be a real thorn in our side.

[I miss RVA]

27 minutes ago, Hike said:

not what I expected, sounds like they’re going to use existing buildings and let some remote work. Another thing I didn’t realize, the general assembly building was reduced by 2 levels. This was during the process of construction, thought it looked truncated or “squatty”. Happy Friday. 

I thought the same thing - and for the life of me I couldn't place exactly how/why the top look so truncated and squatty - whereas previous renderings looked a little be more robust. Wow - it could have been 17 stories tall then. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Was it under construction in 2018? That’s when the decision was made in the article. 

[Hike]

1 minute ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Was it under construction in 2018? That’s when the decision was made in the article. 

I think you’re right, that may have been before it started. 

[wrldcoupe4]

1 hour ago, Downtowner said:

As bad as I hate saying this it doesn’t shock me. Ruin the skyline by tearing down the James Monroe building leave a giant hole in the ground in the process scrap the new building. I hate saying this but I think Richmond being the capital of va is starting to be a real thorn in our side.

They did say they are going to transform the skyline… just by tearing a building down and not building another.  

[I miss RVA]

1 minute ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

They did say they are going to transform the skyline… just by tearing a building down and not building another.  

Unfortunately, as is the case here, "transforming the skyline" does not guarantee that said transformation is a good one. 

[Hike]

11 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Unfortunately, as is the case here, "transforming the skyline" does not guarantee that said transformation is a good one. 

This year has been an interesting start, not much new, any? and some taken away. Still feel good but we’re living off last years projects and would love to hear a surprise something soon. 

[eandslee]

5 minutes ago, Hike said:

This year has been an interesting start, not much new, any? and some taken away. Still feel good but we’re living off last years projects and would love to hear a surprise something soon. 

I’m starting to get the vibe that this recession is starting to take its toll…unfortunately.  Heard a lot about it this week. I don’t think it will be devastating, but things appear to be slowing down.  This scale-back is a direct result of WFH that COVID brought us, as well as the increased cost of construction, supply issues, and this recession.  We just might have to get used to some slow announcement days this year, but  on the plus side, we should (hopefully) see quite a bit of construction this year (as mentioned above).  

[Hike]

7 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I’m starting to get the vibe that this recession is starting to take its toll…unfortunately.  Heard a lot about it this week. I don’t think it will be devastating, but things appear to be slowing down.  This scale-back is a direct result of WFH that COVID brought us, as well as the increased cost of construction, supply issues, and this recession.  We just might have to get used to some slow announcement days this year, but  on the plus side, we should (hopefully) see quite a bit of construction this year (as mentioned above).  

Completely agree with all this.

[I miss RVA]

6 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I’m starting to get the vibe that this recession is starting to take its toll…unfortunately.  Heard a lot about it this week. I don’t think it will be devastating, but things appear to be slowing down.  This scale-back is a direct result of WFH that COVID brought us, as well as the increased cost of construction, supply issues, and this recession.  We just might have to get used to some slow announcement days this year, but  on the plus side, we should (hopefully) see quite a bit of construction this year (as mentioned above).  

Particularly due to the pandemic, it seems like office construction is going to lag for quite a while to come. The pandemic proved that WFH - which was starting to gain traction during the 20-teens - is a viable option, particularly as technology continues to improve. No idea what the future will hold for "in the workplace" still being the standard in the corporate/office world - but that's an aspect of life that's still evolving and will continue to change. Notice how at least in Richmond, the VAST majority of new development (especially large-scale development) is residential. We're not seeing office buildings constructed like we used to.

[Hike]

12 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Particularly due to the pandemic, it seems like office construction is going to lag for quite a while to come. The pandemic proved that WFH - which was starting to gain traction during the 20-teens - is a viable option, particularly as technology continues to improve. No idea what the future will hold for "in the workplace" still being the standard in the corporate/office world - but that's an aspect of life that's still evolving and will continue to change. Notice how at least in Richmond, the VAST majority of new development (especially large-scale development) is residential. We're not seeing office buildings constructed like we used to.

I did read from a recent bizsense, I think it was the presentation at the Robins Center at UR, one of the speakers mentioned that the young generation, recent graduates, want to work in an office environment. Some of this may work itself over time.

[I miss RVA]

4 minutes ago, Hike said:

I did read from a recent bizsense, I think it was the presentation at the Robins Center at UR, one of the speakers mentioned that the young generation, recent graduates, want to work in an office environment. Some of this may work itself over time.

From an urban development standpoint, I hope you're right on that! 

Question I pose to everyone: how is this change in workplace impacting other cities? Aside from CoStar, RVA isn't seeing ANY large/tall downtown office buildings nowadays - and I don't think we will for a while. Other cities (the usual suspect - the well-known "boomtowns") still seem to be building plenty of tall office buildings in their downtowns. Did not the pandemic and the change in workplace mindset impact them as well?

Edited January 21, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Hike]

34 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

From an urban development standpoint, I hope you're right on that! 

Question I pose to everyone: how is this change in workplace impacting other cities? Aside from CoStar, RVA isn't seeing ANY large/tall downtown office buildings nowadays - and I don't think we will for a while. Other cities (the usual suspect - the well-known "boomtowns") still seem to be building plenty of tall office buildings in their downtowns. Did not the pandemic and the change in workplace mindset impact them as well?

Amazon in Arlington comes to mind as your boomtown reference. It’s a good question, what is happening elsewhere for offices. I’m surprised by the Youngkin administration looking to utilize existing and allowing more WFH.  I thought there was a push to get everyone back to the office in the first year of his administration, shortly after Covid restrictions lifted? Did the workers push back enough to get them to change that?  In reality and in light of all that has gone on, it’s probably not a bad idea to step back and revisit plans, could something better come from this?

Edited January 21, 2023 by Hike

[KJHburg]

42 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

From an urban development standpoint, I hope you're right on that! 

Question I pose to everyone: how is this change in workplace impacting other cities? Aside from CoStar, RVA isn't seeing ANY large/tall downtown office buildings nowadays - and I don't think we will for a while. Other cities (the usual suspect - the well-known "boomtowns") still seem to be building plenty of tall office buildings in their downtowns. Did not the pandemic and the change in workplace mindset impact them as well?

it depends on the type of office users you have.  Banks like their people in the office and cities like Charlotte benefit from that.  Government  agencies are the most flexible i.e. like Federal govt and many of those workers are not back in the offices and the Feds are reducing space by the hundreds of thousands of sq feet.  Insurance companies giving up space everywhere because they're cheap (I know I worked for one)  Here in Charlotte Allstate gave up brand new space and halved their needs.  In Atlanta State Farm vacated a new 500K sq ft building and subleased it. In Raleigh Nationwide gave up a building and it was immediately scooped up by a credit union. Nationwide sent all the employees remote.  So yes these work for home effect everyone in the country but it depends on your mix on jobs.  San Francisco is losing tenants (for lots of reasons) but many techies prefer to work from home and their office market is really suffering. 

State governments are cheap everywhere in NC, TX everywhere.  You don't see many states building tall huge skyscrapers for their employees in the past and I think you won't ever again.  Our NC state government builds only 10 or so story buildings some in the suburbs some in downtown Raleigh.  In fact one agency the Motor Vehicle department completely moved out of Raleigh to Rocky Mount because of the deal they got on an older building.   I have seen state office buildings in Austin and Atlanta and none are spectacular or very tall.  

[I miss RVA]

9 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

it depends on the type of office users you have.  Banks like their people in the office and cities like Charlotte benefit from that.  Government  agencies are the most flexible i.e. like Federal govt and many of those workers are not back in the offices and the Feds are reducing space by the hundreds of thousands of sq feet.  Insurance companies giving up space everywhere because they're cheap (I know I worked for one)  Here in Charlotte Allstate gave up brand new space and halved their needs.  In Atlanta State Farm vacated a new 500K sq ft building and subleased it. In Raleigh Nationwide gave up a building and it was immediately scooped up by a credit union. Nationwide sent all the employees remote.  So yes these work for home effect everyone in the country but it depends on your mix on jobs.  San Francisco is losing tenants (for lots of reasons) but many techies prefer to work from home and their office market is really suffering. 

State governments are cheap everywhere in NC, TX everywhere.  You don't see many states building tall huge skyscrapers for their employees in the past and I think you won't ever again.  Our NC state government builds only 10 or so story buildings some in the suburbs some in downtown Raleigh.  In fact one agency the Motor Vehicle department completely moved out of Raleigh to Rocky Mount because of the deal they got on an older building.   I have seen state office buildings in Austin and Atlanta and none are spectacular or very tall.  

Plenty of stories are indicating that a surprising number of office buildings in locations like midtown Manhattan are hurting as well - WFH is definitely here to stay.

Gov't buildings are rarely the biggest, baddest or -- most specifically -- tallest in any state capital.

[whw53]

Rendering of new Supreme Court building and other detail on VA's plans Capitol Sqaure. We have largely covered this and the new detail was also covered by the RTD last week.

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/01/24/capitol-square-new-courts-building

Edited January 24, 2023 by whw53

[Hike]

25 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Rendering of new Supreme Court building and other detail on VA's plans Capitol Sqaure. We have largely covered this and the new detail was also covered by the RTD last week.

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/01/24/capitol-square-new-courts-building

Thanks for posting, I haven’t seen the rendering, added below. Nice size and will really help that block.

Edited January 24, 2023 by Hike

[wrldcoupe4]

I appreciate the beefiness of this building. This whole block will be pretty dense. And it is replacing a shorter building. But I do wish it had some orientation towards Main Street. Looking at this, it appears that it is oriented towards Bank Street and Main Street is basically a wall of windows.